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x Ideologies : Conservatism (paper 1) > Key thinkers > Flashcards

Key thinkers Flashcards

1
Q

Who are the 5 key thinkers ?

A
  1. Hobbes
  2. Oakeshott
  3. Burke
  4. Rand
  5. Nozick
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2
Q

Burke key quotes

A
  • “change to preserve”
  • “little platoons”
  • “Acknowledge nurture and prune … the crooked timers of humanity”
  • “a state without means of change is without means of conservation”
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3
Q

Burke’s views on the economy ?

A
  • Laissez faire economics
  • Pro-capitalism
  • Trade should involve organic free markets
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4
Q

What strand of conservatism is Burke ?

A
  • Traditional
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5
Q

Burke’s view on the state ?

A
  • The state arises organically and should be aristocratic driven, driven by the hereditary elite who are reared to rule the interests of all
  • Believes in noblesse oblige that the elite should have paternal instincts and look after all
  • “change to conserve”
  • Change should be organic and cautious
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6
Q

Burke’s view on human nature ?

A
  • Humans are intellectually imperfect
  • Stressed mankind’s fallibility and its tendency to fail more than succeed
  • Sceptical view of human nature
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7
Q

Burke’s view on society ?

A
  • Society isn’t static so it is sometimes necessary for “change to preserve”
  • Human nature is imperfect so naturally societies are also imperfect
  • Society is organic meaning it evolves and emerges gradually over time
  • Belief in empiricism (reliance of knowledge from the past) - “society is a partnership between those who are living, those who are dead and those who are yet to be born”
  • Argued against the FR for it’s highly centralised structures and instead praised a society of “little platoons” with small autonomous communities
  • Emphasis on tradition eg customs and beliefs are passed through each generation
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8
Q

What strand is Hobbes ?

A

Traditional conservatism

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9
Q

Key quotes of Hobbes ?

A
  • “nasty, brutish and short”
  • “envy hatred and war”
  • “power after power”
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10
Q

Hobbes’ view on society ?

A
  • Mankind would realise the state of nature is inimical (tendency to self destruct) to self interest so would agree to a social contract
  • Society would be created through laws which allowed order and security
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11
Q

Hobbes’ view on Human nature ?

A
  • Extremely negative
  • State of nature would be “nasty, brutish and short”
  • Humans are not wholly irrational as they seek “power after power”
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12
Q

Hobbes’s view on the economy ?

A
  • A state is necessary as constructive and enduring economic activity is impossible without a state guaranteeing order and security
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13
Q

Hobbes’ view on the state ?

A
  • The state arises from a ‘social contract’
  • Without the restrictions of formal authority relations between humans would be marked by ‘hatred, envy and war’
  • The state would have to be autocratic, if power were dispersed then there wold be conflict, this would create order and security
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14
Q

Key quotes of Oakeshott

A
  • “imperfect but not immoral”
  • “state exists to prevent the bad rather than to good”
  • “not so much nasty, brutish and short … but noisy, foolish and flawed”
  • “In the kitchen cook books are only useful after preparing the meal”
  • the world is “boundless and bottomless”
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15
Q

What strand is Oakeshott ?

A
  • One nation conservatism
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16
Q

Oakeshott’ view on society ?

A
  • localised communities are essential to humanity’s survival especially when guided by short term requirements rather than abstract ideas
  • society is one that aims to stay afloat in uncertain waters rather than sail steadily to a specific destination
17
Q

Oakeshott’s view on human nature ?

A
  • Human nature is “fragile + fallible” yet also “benign and benevolent” when framed by routine, familiarity and religious principles
  • Argues “politics of faith” where rationalism is beyond the ability of humans as we are intellectually imperfect
18
Q

Oakeshott’s view on the economy ?

A
  • Free markets are volatile and unpredictable so may require pragmatic moderation by the state
  • Some state intervention is necessary
19
Q

Oakeshott’s view on the state ?

A
  • Life without law would be “noisy, foolish and flawed”
  • The state should be guided by tradition and racial concerns
  • believes in pragmatism rather than dogmatism
  • Believes in empiricism meaning the changes made should be made and informed through past experiences
  • Politics if scepticism as rationality is flawed so humans should put their faith in trusted tradition
  • Believes in trial and error “in the kitchen cook books are only ireful after preparing the meal”
  • “the state exists to prevent the bad rater than the good”
20
Q

What strand is Rand ?

A
  • Neo-liberal (New Right)
21
Q

Rand’s key quotes ?

A
  • “Right to choose”

- “the small state is the strong state”

22
Q

What strand is Nozick ?

A
  • Neo-liberal
23
Q

What are Nozick’s key quotes ?

A
  • “tax for the most part is theft”
24
Q

Rand’s view on human nature ?

A
  • ‘objectivist’ meaning we are and ought to be guided by rational self-interest and the pursuit of self-fulfilment
25
Q

Rand’s view on the state ?

A
  • “the small state is the strong state”
  • The state should confine itself to law, order and national security
  • Any attempt to promote ‘positive liberty’ via state intervention should be revisited instead a belief in negative liberty ie freedom from interference from other people eg freedom of speech
26
Q

Rand’s view on Society ?

A
  • Society is atomistic and just a collection of individuals

- Any attempts to restrict individuals in the name of society should be challenged

27
Q

Rand’s view on he economy ?

A
  • Free-market capitalism is an expression of objectivist individualism and shouldn’t be hindered by the state
  • Free markets and laissez faire economics need the parameters of a small state
28
Q

Nozick’s view on human nature ?

A
  • Egoistical where individuals are driven by a quest for ‘self ownership’ allowing them to reach there full potential
  • Optimistic as individuals are the sole authors for their talents
29
Q

Nozick’s view on the economy ?

A
  • “tax for the most part is theft”
  • Minarchist state should merely oversee disputes between private economic organisations
  • There should be a privatised and deregulated economy
30
Q

Nozick’s view of the state ?

A
  • Believes the state should merely be a night watchman (limited powers and its role is to protect citizens against fraud etc)
  • the state should be minarchist (bare minimum) and should outsource, renew and reallocate contracts to private companies providing public services
  • The growth of government is the greatest contemporary threat to individual freedom
31
Q

Nozick’s vouw on society ?

A
  • Society should be geared to individual self-fulfilment

- May lead to a plethora of small, variable communities which reflect their members diverse tastes and philosophies

x Ideologies : Conservatism (paper 1) (3 decks)

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